Pregnancy Series: Natural Induction Methods

6:16 AM

Whether you're already overdue or you're coming up to full term and want to prepare, there are some non-invasive ways of speeding baby along - or, more accurately, getting your body ready. As far as I know none of these methods will actually bring on early, unsafe labour, it will simply get you prepared for nature's right time, but to be safe make sure you tell your doctor or midwife of your plans and get their approval.

Don't try any of this before 36 weeks.

Red raspberry leaf tea: Drink 1 - 2 cups of the brew, made from about 1 tsp of loose herb, every day. You can have it hot or chilled. It is a uterine tonic and tells the womb: let's get going!

Homeopathic ez birth: Take 3 pellets at least twice a day, away from food and strong flavours (coffee, peppermint toothpaste). This works on many levels and even helps with post-birth bruising and pain.

Evening primrose oil: Swallow one 1000mg capsule per day, or insert it vaginally before you go to sleep to ripen the cervix. If you're well over-due I think you can up the dosage.

Sex: The oxytocin released from the pleasure and the prostagladins from the sperm are two of the greatest natural induction chemicals. It's also important to relax rather than stress about baby, so this might help.

Other methods include: acupuncture, eating spicy food, going for long walks and keeping upright. Ultimately staying stress-free will be your biggest asset. Baby will come and everything will be perfect so relax and enjoy the ride!

You Might Also Like

1 comments

I wanted to clarify the composition of homeopathic ez birth as I know it, because there may be other preparations out there that I can't recommend until I look into them further. The one I'm familiar with is:Actaea racemosa 5CH - helps relieve pain with contractionsCaulophyllum 5CH - tones the uterine muscles and is said to hasten labour, also can prevent excess bleedingArnica montana 5CH - to help with swelling and bruisingPulsatilla 5CH - has been known to fix uncertainty, from a weepy mom-to-be, to contractions that won't stay regularGelsemium sempervirens 5CH - to help with nervousness

SEARCH

About me

Professionally, I coordinate the Food and Nutrition departments for a large veterans & mental health health care facility. But I also love plant-based whole foodism and grow-your-own-ism and figuring out what it means to be a locavore living in southwestern Ontario. I'm located in gorgeously-forested London with my charming son Oliver Wolfe (born on August 5th, 2011) and precious daughter Dakota Forrest (born on January 27, 2014). I try to walk wherever I can, I cook in cast iron, and I clean my kitchen with vinegar. I grew up the oldest of three wildly creative girls (my youngest sister contributes photos to this site), and the daughter of a computer genius and a nature lover. The most important things in my life are growing my connection to my Creator, consistently making wise decisions, and always making top notch coffee. I play a lot of guitar.